Industrial chemicals obtained from inexpensive sources are desirable for use in industrial processes, for example as raw materials, solvents, or starting materials. It has become increasingly desirable to obtain industrial chemicals or their precursors from materials that are not only inexpensive but also benign in the environment. Of particular interest are materials which can be obtained from renewable sources, that is, materials that are produced by a biological activity such as planting, farming, or harvesting. As used herein, the terms “renewable” and “biosourced” can be used interchangeably.
Biomass sources for such materials are becoming more attractive economically versus petroleum-based ones. Although the convergent and selective synthesis of C5 and C6 carbocyclic intermediates from biomass is difficult because of the high degree of oxygenation of many components of biomass, use of such biomass-derived intermediates as feedstocks would offer new routes to industrially useful chemicals.
1,6-Hexanediol is a useful intermediate in the industrial preparation of nylon. For example, 1,6-hexandiol can be converted by known methods to 1,6-hexamethylene diamine, a useful monomer in nylon production.
There is an existing need for processes to produce 1,6-hexanediol, and synthetic intermediates useful in the production of 1,6-hexanediol, from renewable biosources. There is an existing need for processes to produce 1,6-hexanediol, as well as synthetic intermediates useful in the production of 1,6-hexanediol, from biomass-derived starting materials, including C6 oxygenated hydrocarbons such as levoglucosenone.